Robert Dale Gleason

Robert “Bob” Dale Gleason, was born February 1, 1934 in Cedar Falls, Iowa and passed away on September 21, 2023 in Georgetown, Texas. Bob was 89 years old. He graduated from the University of Northern Iowa in 1956 with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Education and an emphasis in Accounting.

Bob joined the U.S. Navy in 1956 as an Ensign and was honorably discharged in 1959. He joined the Naval Reserves in 1959 and retired as a Lieutenant Commander in 1994. His Navy Operational Experience took him to Officer Candidate School in Rhode Island, then on to Chicago and Florida. From there he landed at Barbers Point, Hawaii. His squadron was VW-14. His crew was Crew 5, one of 8 in 1957. The Squadron later grew to 20 crews. The Squadron included 600 Enlisted men and Officers. Bob deployed to Midway Atoll Island, part of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, every 18 days, flew 10–12-hour flights to Adak, Alaska. Returning to Barbers Point for the crew to rest, home for 18 days and repeated the cycle until 1959. Bob often talked about his work in the Navy years later and described this time as “surveillance, search and rescue” operations.

Bob’s career moved him to Minneapolis, Minnesota with Honeywell, Inc. from 1959-63; to Collins Radio Company in Cedar Rapids Iowa from 1963-67; to Motorola Government Electronics Division in Phoenix, Arizona and Austin, Texas from 1967-1992. He retired from Sematech in Austin, Texas in 1994.

Bob was active in the Masons and National Sojourners. In 1992, he built his retirement home on Stillhouse Hollow Lake. He loved everything about the water, swimming and boating. His pontoon and sailboats at the local marina were a source of many fun family times. In 2015, Bob and Jean moved to The Wesleyan at Estrella Independent Living and in 2022 moved to The Wesleyan Assisted Living. Bob moved to The Wesleyan Skilled Nursing home in 2023.

In 1953, he married the love of his life, Jean Crawford Gleason from Estherville, Iowa and was devoted to her for 70+ years. He was able to celebrate his 70th year of marriage to Jean on August 23, 2023. He is survived by Jean; two daughters, Melinda Gleason Hester and her husband Larry Hester of Round Rock, Texas and Susan Gleason Spreier and her husband Tim Spreier of Willow Park, Texas; three grandchildren, Nicholas Hester (Mari Hernandez), Maggie Spreier Dorrell (Chris Dorrell) and Kenneth Robert Spreier; and two great grandchildren, Layne and Luella “Lulu” Dorrell.

Bob is preceded in death by his parents, Alonzo J. Gleason and Luella Stouffer Gleason; brother Alonzo “Bud” Gleason and sisters Katherine Gleason Dick and Donna Gleason Reynolds and his beloved “Boo”.

Bob’s family will be forever grateful to The Wesleyan homes, their entire staff and wonderful caregivers for all they did to create a home for him. A special thanks to Hospice Austin for their exceptional care, compassion, and support.

Services will be held on Saturday, October 7th at 2 pm in the Wesleyan Assisted Living Chapel, 2nd Floor; 109 Estrella Crossing, Georgetown, TX 78628.

In lieu of flowers or gifts, please consider giving to the Wesleyan Benevolent Fund. You may send a check made out to the Wesleyan Benevolent Fund and mail it to:

Wesleyan Benevolent Fund

139 Estrella Crossing

Georgetown, Texas 78628

Please take a moment to watch a YouTube video that Bob and Jean help to create on the Wesleyan Benevolent Fund at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjaCJU5y3to

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.cookwaldendavisfuneralhome.com for the Gleason family.